Ohio Attorney General given until Monday to explain rejection of Voting Rights Amendment to the court

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – ohioThe high court has given Republican Attorney General Dave Yost until Monday to respond to legal claims by a coalition of civil rights organizations challenging his rejection of the package of voter protections on the November ballot.

The Ohio Supreme Court set the deadline for Friday.

is on point Search for January 25 by Yoast The title of the proposed constitutional amendment – ​​”Ohio Voters’ Bill of Rights” – was “grossly misleading and misrepresentative” regarding the contents of the measure. He also issued the decision acknowledging that his office had previously certified similar language. It coauthored a Nursing Facility Patients Bill of Rights in 2021 and another Ohio Voters’ Bill of Rights in 2014.

This was his second time refusing to certify the group’s petition summary.

The coalition behind the amendment – ​​which included the Ohio chapter of the NAACP, A. The Philip Randolph Institute and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative — filed the lawsuit Thursday.

Their complaint asks the judges to direct Yost to certify their petition and send it to the State Ballot Board, instead of denying it on the basis that it has no review authority over its title. Power is a distant thing.

In his rejection letter, Yost cited “recent authority of the Ohio Supreme Court”, giving him the ability to review petition titles, as well as text summaries. He pointed to a High Court ruling last year in a legal dispute over the title that unfolded over petitions for a local drag ban.

There has been a push to change election law following Ohio’s enactment last year. Many changes in election lawThat includes strict photo ID requirements and shorter windows for returning and recovering ballots after Election Day.

The Ohio Voters Bill of Rights would enshrine in the state constitution the right to vote safely for all Ohioans and require automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration and expanded early voting options and locations.

Copyright 2024 The associated Press, All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.